Call of the Matriarch
by Luna's Child fanfic
Summary: Sequel to "Blackened Petal". Months have passed since the final defeat of Tsunade's hive on the main continent, yet the Akuma threat hasn't been extinguished. Speculations are made about the unexplained silence of the Land of Water for over 20 years. Sakura and her embryo are the only beings in the shinobi world with a clear understanding of this extraterrestrial threat.
1. Chapter 1: A New Road

**A/N: Welcome to the sequel of Blackened Petal! I'm so pleased to have finally written and uploaded the first chapter. I start classes next week, so I can't promise regular updates, however, I fully intend on writing this story and finishing it, regardless of how long it takes.**

 **I hope you enjoy the first chapter and will support Call of the Matriarch as you've done with the prequel.**

* * *

In the months that have passed since the return of men and the Phoenix forces, Konoha flourished. The Hidden Leaf Village had been rebuilt from the ground up.

With inspiration from the numerous visions Sakura received from her embryo, the contracted civilian construction team created tall skyscrapers that shined bright along the horizon. The once damaged infrastructure was replaced with new and colorful buildings that contributed to the atmosphere of peace and happiness that now blessed the once gloomy village.

The evidence of the Black Death that had plagued Konoha more than two decades ago was erased.

The first few weeks were extremely difficult for the younger members of the Phoenix forces. Many still considered themselves loyal to the dead Slug Sannin and didn't take well the instauration of Minato as Hokage.

To appease their immediate threat of rebellion, Yūgao was selected to represent them and be "on par" with the Hokage's authority. In reality, the purple-haired kunoichi always deferred to Minato due to her immense respect for him.

Another point of tension was the relation between men and women. The young daughters coldly rejected their fathers', to the latter's grief. Months later, much progress had been made in tightening the bond between fathers and daughters, yet more work still needed to be done.

Yūgao stood on top of the Hokage mountain and admired the view of her beloved village.

For years, she had lost hope that Konoha would ever return to its former glory. Now, its resurrection completely exceeded her expectations. She felt life return to the village and its inhabitants once more.

A small smile curved her lips as she delicately placed a hand over the barely noticeable bump on her abdomen. Yes, life was indeed returning to the village. The tree that set the foundation of their village and the Will of Fire had more branches with new leaves ready to bloom.

Beside her, Minato's golden hair shined under the bright sun.

A look of serenity made him appear younger, and a quiet sigh of content blew past his lips.

Yūgao glanced at him. "Have you thought about my proposition?"

The man nodded his head. "I have, and I accept it." His face softened. "I'm honored to be the godfather of your child."

The soon-to-be-mother smiled brightly at him. "Thank you so much, Minato-sama! Hayate will be very pleased, as am I."

"I'm glad." The man replied. "Kushina and I have thought about having another child, but we're too old for that. Besides, with your little bundle of joy coming soon, we'll certainly be busy."

Yūgao snickered. "You're not **that** old."

Minato laughed in good nature. "I may not look it, but I certainly feel so. Especially with Naruto bouncing around in excitement and wanting to be friends with everyone."

"He's happy to finally be at his true home," the woman reasoned. "We're all happy to have our home back."

Minato nodded. "Yes, that's true." His eyes darkened slightly. "How is Sakura doing?"

Yūgao looked back at the village. "She's doing much better. She's still haunted by her experience with the Akuma and Tsunade-sama, but the Uchihas and her friends are a huge support for her. She'll pull through this."

The Hokage hummed, pleased. "This is good news. I can only hope that one day, she'll find absolute peace from the dark past."

"She will. Sasuke will guide her there."

A smile graced Minato's face. "I'm surprised that there hasn't been a wedding yet."

Yūgao grinned. "Not everyone can move forward fast like your son."

A combination between exasperation and affection passed over Minato's face. "I'm still not sure if he should marry so soon, but he's absolutely smitten by Hinata. I'm surprised that her father agreed to the marriage."

The woman shrugged. "Love's a mysterious force. I think Hinata's headstrong ways influenced her father to accept the match."

"In that case, Kushina and I won't need to have more kids. Naruto and Hinata will probably give us grandchildren immediately."

Yūgao smiled in amusement. "Enjoy the peace while you can."

Minato rubbed the back of his head. "I have a feeling that I'll go grey before I turn 50."

* * *

"Teme, get your ass back here!"

Said person scowled in annoyance. "For the last time, I wasn't peeking on you and Hinata. You shouldn't have chosen the public gardens to sleep with her."

"It's closed, or can't you read the signs?!"

From there, the fighting turned physical as Naruto launched himself at the Uchiha, and they started exchanging punches.

A certain rosette stood at the entrance as she stared at the two arguing men in confusion.

Her hair was now shoulder-length and more luscious. Another six months, and her hair would reach the same length from before.

Her once gaunt-looking face also regained the lean muscle from before and her skin glowed in a healthy complexion.

Sakura had accompanied the youngest Uchiha son to the gardens for a surprise he had planned for her, only for him to run out as an enraged Uzumaki chased him down.

Since the two men were occupied, Sakura made her way to where they came from.

She was surprised to see the Hyuga heiress completely naked aside from the blanket she was using to cover herself.

Upon seeing Sakura, the raven-haired woman sighed. "So much for a romantic night."

The rosette cocked an eyebrow and studied the scenery.

A pale blue blanket covered the soft grass as the couple sat there previously. Some leftover food was roughly shoved away as the rosette imagined Naruto pouncing on her friend. Beautiful flowers of dazzling colors decorated the area, including a crown of them that adorned Hinata's head.

Sakura had to admit that she was impressed by Naruto's effort for a romantic evening.

The rosette offered a sheepish smile. "Sorry for ruining your night."

Hinata sighed but offered her friend a kind smile. "It's not your fault. Neither of us knew that Sasuke was planning something similar on the same night."

Sakura's face flushed as she held out her hands. "N-no! That's not why we came."

A slight smirk passed over Hinata's angelic face. "Sure, you weren't."

Sakura ignored her jab and held the raven-haired woman to get dressed.

Once appropriate, the two women walked back to the men and saw Sasuke hold a still angry Naruto down.

Hinata stepped forward. "Naruto-kun, please calm down. No harm was done."

Naruto pouted. "But anata, he saw your perfect body; something that he had no right to see!"

Sakura sharply turned her head towards Sasuke who conveniently pretended that he hadn't seen her. The reddening of his ears was the only indication.

Hinata gestured Sasuke to let her fiancé go and approached the blond.

"We can continue this elsewhere, Naruto-kun." She pulled him up and looked over at Sakura.

"Have a good evening." With a wink, the couple left.

Sakura walked over to Sasuke and slapped his head hard.

The Uchiha winced and rubbed the sore area.

Sakura sighed, and quickly healed the rapidly-forming bump, and kissed Sasuke's forehead.

Sasuke grumbled but pulled the rosette into his embrace. "The dobe ruined the surprise."

Sakura sniggered. "Yes, but he and Hinata certainly surprised you."

The Uchiha made a "hmmp" sound of discomfort, and Sakura laughed at his adorableness.

"So, what was the surprise?" The woman asked.

Sasuke lead her to an isolated zone of the public gardens past where Sakura found her friend. A similar scenario as to what Naruto prepared, awaited them.

Sakura's heart swelled with affection, and she showed it by kissing the Uchiha hard.

When they pulled away, Sakura nearly cooed at the cute sight of a blushing Uchiha.

The couple sat down on the blanket and shared the delicious snacks while they talked about their day.

As Sakura recounted what she did, Sasuke took pleasure in not seeing the darkness within her eyes that had haunted her for months after her death.

He inwardly winced.

Not her permanent **death** , but a vicious attack nonetheless.

About a month after they've settled in Konoha, Sakura confessed the deal she made with her embryo.

Shock wasn't an appropriate enough term to describe how Sasuke had felt then.

He was angry at her for making such a risky deal with an unpredictable monster, yet he couldn't deny the relief he felt knowing that the embryo played a part in protecting Sakura from the Akuma Queen's mental wrath.

He willed those dark thoughts away and focused on the rosette.

He admired her beauty as her eyes lit up in pride of her medical apprentice, and the smile that graced her face.

The rosette had wormed her way into his heart and he had no intention of letting her go. She was the sun that pushed back the darkness that nearly consumed him. She gave him his life back.

"Yuki asked me for a visual demonstration on how to stabilize a fractured vertebra. I told her that I couldn't since none of the current patients had such an injury, so that crazy girl broke her own back on purpose. I nearly had a heart-attack, and when I did heal her, I was half tempted to break her back again." The rosette laughed.

The Uchiha's heart felt light and his face softened at the joy and ease Sakura felt.

He cupped the rosette's face and pulled her in for a kiss.

She responded eagerly and ran her fingers through his soft hair.

They pulled away and rested their foreheads against each other. Onyx and emerald eyes stared into one another as a silent message passed through them.

Sakura quickly removed something from her neck. She gently grabbed a hold of Sasuke's hand and placed the delicate object in it.

His eyes bore confusion as he touched her necklace. "Why are you giving me this?"

Sakura swallowed hard. "It was originally given to my mother by my father shortly before they married. I'm now giving it to you."

Immediately understanding, Sasuke stared at her in surprise. "Sakura, are you sure about this? You do realize what it means by giving me this?"

A soft smile graced Sakura's face, before she leaned in to kiss Sasuke softly. "It's my wish to give it to you, as is my heart, if you'll accept them," she said quietly, looking down shyly.

The momentary silence had the rosette biting her lip nervously, though it was quickly washed away when she felt Sasuke's hands grab hers gently.

She looked up and felt her heart soar at the sight.

Sasuke smiled at her gently, and she could clearly see the happiness in his eyes.

He chuckled. "You've made this easier for me."

Sakura cocked her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Sasuke reached into his pant pocket and pulled out a black box. He opened it and revealed a gorgeous sapphire ring that had Sakura's jaw drop.

Emotions swirled through the Uchiha's dark eyes as he looked at her. "Will you do me the honor in marrying me?"

Sakura snapped her jaw shut and wrapped her arms around him. "Yes!" She said ecstatically, and tears of joy poured down her cheeks.

Sasuke chuckled as he reveled in the rosette repeatedly kissing his lips and cheeks.

Sakura finally calmed down and smiled widely at him. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Sasuke gently slipped the ring on her finger, and she marveled at the way it gleamed even in the moonlight.

She glanced back at Sasuke who stared at her with intense eyes.

The man pulled her into his embrace. "Thank you, Sakura." He whispered.

Said person smiled and cuddled against him.

Her life may not have been perfect, but it was certainly getting better.

* * *

"Congratulations!"

Sakura was stunned to see the Uchiha clan members throwing confetti at them and wearing identical grins on their angelic faces.

She looked at Sasuke whose ears burned a bright red as Itachi clapped him on the shoulder.

Mikoto stepped towards them and engulfed the rosette into a tight embrace. "I told you that soon enough you'd be calling me 'kaa-san'."

Sakura returned the hug gladly and laughed joyfully as the other Uchiha women surrounded her and asked her for details about the proposal.

In her peripheral vision, she saw Sasuke chatting with his brother, the fathers of the Uchiha girls and Kakashi who offered the younger man a one-eyed smile.

The rosette still didn't understand why the copy-nin insisted on wearing a mask even though he was among family.

Little Kai and Takara presented Sakura with a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers that specifically grew within the Uchiha compound.

"Congratulations, Sakura-nee-chan!" They both said.

The rosette smiled at them, and ruffled their hair, before she took their gift.

Kai's mother embraced her as well and wished her all the best in her relationship.

Then, she humbly accepted the various engagement gifts from her soon-to-be family members and proceeded to chat with Kakashi and Itachi.

"Mah, I've had a feeling that Sasuke would pop the question soon." Kakashi commented.

Itachi nodded. "As did I. When Sasuke wants something, he'll do anything to get it."

"You know the rules: no love without the glove. You may be getting married, but you're still too young to have kids."

Sakura flushed in embarrassment, yet she couldn't help the smile that formed on her face.

Mikoto scoffed. "Nonsense. Itachi isn't married yet, so of course Sasuke and Sakura will have to give me grandchildren."

Itachi and Sakura both blushed.

The eldest Uchiha son discreetly glanced at one of the Uchiha Phoenix kunoichi who was conversing with the other women.

Mikoto noticed and kissed his cheek affectionately. "Perhaps, I'll soon have two daughters-in-law."

Itachi looked away in embarrassment as the small group laughed in good nature.

The celebration party went on until the moon reached its apex.

By then, the children were already asleep, and the couples returned to their houses to settle down for the night.

Sakura and Sasuke were given privacy as they made their way to the large lake in the center of the compound.

Immediately upon reaching the lake, they pressed themselves against each other and quickly removed their clothing.

Sasuke gently laid the rosette on the soft grass and looked at her tenderly.

She glanced up at him and admired his dark eyes that shined with the starlight from the heavens.

Their lips met, and Sasuke slowly entered the rosette's tight heat. Groans were earned from both of them as they relished in the feeling of being one.

They started off slow, but through the throngs of passion and desire their speed increased.

Sakura held on tightly to the Uchiha as he pounded into her and made her see stars.

She cried out his name as she experienced one of the most powerful orgasms to date, and the Uchiha was close behind as his seed exploded inside of the rosette.

The couple shuddered in ecstasy and kissed each other once more, before the Uchiha pulled out.

He wrapped his strong arms around the rosette who sighed in contentment. This was where she belonged; safe in his embrace.

Sakura didn't know what the future held, but as long as Sasuke would walk along the new road with her, the rosette would face life head first.


	2. Chapter 2: Vows

The entire village was buzzing with activity as excitement and anticipation filled the air: Naruto and Hinata's wedding date had arrived.

Beautiful flowers were placed everywhere, and a sweet aroma settled over the village. Vibrant colors blended nicely with the numerous trees and their green leaves Konoha was famed for.

It was a happy day, and the villagers were determined to have no disturbances.

Sakura, Ino and Tenten were currently preparing Hinata before she would meet with her soon-to-be-husband.

The women laughed and enjoyed themselves as they applied the last touches to the glowing bride.

They admired Hinata with pride as the woman looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was a stunning sight.

The shiromuku[1] clung to her slender body, her long dark hair was neatly combed and hung loosely down her back, decorated with a simple, yet beautiful white amaryllis flower pinned on the left side of her head. Her make-up was sparse, only her plump lips were painted a vibrant shade of red.

The raven-haired kunoichi smiled widely at her friends, who in turn hugged her tight.

"Just because you're about to get married, doesn't mean you can forget about us!" Ino warned teasingly.

Hinata chuckled. "I believe I'll always need your company, especially when Naruto-kun pushes my patience to its limits."

Tenten laughed. "You've got the patience of a saint, Hinata. If anyone's impatient here, it's me." She patted her swollen abdomen.

Sakura smiled. "You're only in your second trimester. You've still got some time to go before you'll meet your little bundle of joy."

Tenten rolled her eyes and smiled back. "Soon enough, it'll be you walking out through those doors as you start a new chapter in your life."

Sakura's smile softened as she glanced down at her engagement ring. The precious gem shined shamelessly under the sunlight.

Ino playfully shoved the brunette. "You would have as well if you hadn't gotten knocked up again. Guess Lee's youth burns bright even in the bedroom."

The women laughed as Tenten's face reddened like a tomato.

Sakura grinned at Ino. "You never know, Ino, you could finish up the trend with Akio."

The blonde blushed, yet a shy smile graced her face. "There's no need to rush. Akio and I have only started a relationship two months ago."

"And yet it's as clear as day that he's in love with you. Have you guys slept together yet?" Tenten asked.

Ino's blush deepened, and Sakura gently elbowed the pregnant woman. "Have some tact, Tenten. If Ino doesn't want to tell us, then she shouldn't be pressured."

The woman in question shook her head. "It's fine, Sakura." She looked up at Tenten. "Yes, we've slept together."

Her friends gaped at her, and they crowded around the blonde. "Details, girl!"

Ino laughed. "Well, I was extremely nervous at first, but Akio was so sweet and gentle with me." She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. "He's the one for me."

The women laughed and hugged their love-struck friend.

A knock on the door interrupted their fun, and Hinata's father peeked into the room. "Are you ready?"

The bride nodded and straightened her posture.

The Hyuga patriarch opened the door completely and stepped aside.

Confidently, Hinata walked out of the room into the open area outside where her fiancé waited.

Naruto was dashingly handsome dressed in a black crested haori jacket and a loose, skirt-like hakama with a vertical stripe down the middle.

He managed to not fidget, yet his eyes widened at the sight of his beautiful bride walking towards him.

Sakura and her other friends stayed back, and the men who helped Naruto did the same on their side.

The marrying couple stood in front of each other and clasped their hands together.

Sakura caught her fiancé's eye and smiled at him.

The Uchiha responded in kind and eyed Sakura up and down as he stared at her in appreciation.

Sakura wore a turquoise party dress that made her emerald eyes pop out. The dress flared out just below her knee, and her shapely legs were still a pleasant sight to see. Her hair was up in a simple, yet elegant bun, and she had light make-up applied.

She admired Sasuke in return.

He was sinfully attractive in a tight black suit complemented with a red tie.

The man noticed her staring and smirked at her.

Naruto's parents came up behind him, and Hiashi stood behind his only daughter.

Tears poured down Kushina's face as she stared emotionally at her only son. Minato held her hand and smiled proudly at Naruto.

The marrying couple grasped their hands and walked down the courtyard towards the shrine. A large procession of their close friends, parents and Hinata's clan members followed them.

Once they reached the shrine, a middle-aged priest performed the ritual purification for the couple. He announced their marriage to kami and asked for blessings upon Naruto and Hinata.

The sansankudo ritual took place next, where the couple took three sips each from three cups of sake. Naruto read his words of commitment, and adoration glowed in his blue eyes as he stared at his bride.

Once Naruto finished speaking, the priest offered symbolic offerings to kami, and the ceremony was concluded.

To everyone's surprise, Naruto grabbed Hinata by her waist, and swung her down to kiss her.

The witnesses clapped and some of the men whistled as Naruto set Hinata on her feet again.

Traditionally, only the closest family members of the couple could attend, but to the Naruto and Hinata, their friends **were** family.

Congratulations once again were offered to the couple, and the entourage made their way outside to present themselves to the rest of the villagers who were eagerly waiting.

Once they caught sight of the newly-wed couple, they cheered loud and offered more congratulations and best wishes. The young Phoenix kunoichi were especially enthusiastic.

The large group made their way to the center of Konoha were the reception was prepared.

Once the guests were settled, Naruto's parents formally introduced the couple and stated how honored they were to have Hinata as their daughter-in-law, as well as how lucky their son was to have won over her heart.

Hiashi also gave his blessings to the marriage and offered the couple his best wishes on behalf of the Hyuga clan.

Shortly afterwards, servers began to set down the appetizers to begin the full meal course.

Laughter rang loudly as alcohol was served freely and prompted loose tongues to speak whatever came to mind.

The main course finally arrived, and the guests enjoyed themselves as they ate and drank to their hearts' content and socialized among friends.

Once they finished and the tables were cleared, a live band performed. Many people danced while holding drinks in their hands.

Sasuke lifted Sakura to her feet and led her over.

He placed one hand on her waist, and held one of hers, whereas Sakura's free hand was placed on his shoulder.

A slow love song played, and several couples danced together, including the newly-wed.

The engaged couple couldn't take their eyes off each other.

Sakura wrapped both of her arms around Sasuke's neck, and in turn the Uchiha placed his unoccupied hand on her waist. They shared a tender kiss, before Sakura rested her head on the man's shoulder.

She glanced at the other dancing couples, and felt a peace settle within her.

Sasuke's body was warm, and she felt completely safe in his arms. She never imagined she'd ever find happiness with a man, but she was glad that she was wrong.

She grinned happily when she saw Ino dance with a tall man with warm brown eyes.

The song stopped, and Sakura hugged her fiancé tightly.

"Excuse me, may I have your attention."

The loud chatter quieted down to a low murmur as Gaara stood in front of a microphone.

He began to speak about how Naruto was his first true friend and saved him from himself during the darkest moments of his life. The Kazekage recounted Naruto's brave actions during the last battle with the Akuma, and then offered a toast to the newly-wed for prosperity and happiness.

Everyone took a long sip, and one by one more people began to line up behind the microphone.

Throughout the speeches, Sakura and Sasuke held each other's hands. They shared a glance and small smiles, before Sakura rested her head on the Uchiha's broad shoulder.

After Kakashi spoke, Sasuke decided to go up and add in his two cents.

Sakura watched on proudly as the Uchiha spoke about his admiration for Naruto and well wishes for the newly-wed couple.

The Uchiha glanced at said couple. "More important, I've come to see Naruto as a brother. I'll always have his back, just like I know he'll have mine."

Naruto looked extremely touched by Sasuke's speech, and an enthusiastic applause passed through the guests.

Kushina and Mikoto embraced each other at the sight of their sons' loyalty to each other.

Sakura greeted her fiancé with a gentle kiss and smiled at him. "That was a beautiful speech."

Sasuke smirked. "Naruto still has to name his first-born after me."

Sakura playfully rolled her eyes, and chuckled. "I'll end up confusing the two of you. I should probably start calling you 'Sasuke-kun' for differentiation."

The man's eyes darkened as emotions swirled through them.

He pulled the rosette towards him and kissed her hard.

By the time they pulled away, Sakura was breathless. "What was that for?"

"From now on, I want you to call me that."

The rosette blinked in surprise, but a soft smile graced her face. "Okay, Sasuke-kun."

Friends of the bride began to give their speeches, and before she knew it, Sakura found herself standing in front of a crowd that appeared even bigger with the spotlight on her.

She swallowed down her nerves and spoke. "Hinata and I have been friends since we've joined the Phoenix army. We've trained together, thrived in each other's success and comforted one another during the dark times, but most importantly, we were family. I see Hinata as a sister, and I wish her all the best in life. Her happiness is my happiness." She raised her glass as she looked at the couple. "Please treasure her, Naruto, otherwise I'll beat you up." She gave the blond man a toothed grin.

The guests laughed and raised their glasses up for a shared toast, before they downed a generous amount of alcohol.

Sakura drank from her glass and walked back to her fiancé who wrapped his arm around her slender waist.

After the last speeches were given, Naruto and Hinata stood up from their seats, and addressed the guests.

"Hinata and I would like to thank you all for celebrating this special day with us. We view the village as our home and all the villagers as part of our big family." The man raised his glass. "To the future."

"To the future!"

More alcohol was ingested, and the music and dancing came back.

With the lively music, more people joined the dance floor, although most were drunkenly swirling around, and some even collapsed to the ground laughing their hearts out.

Sasuke went to join his clan members, while Sakura, Tenten and Ino danced around Hinata as they playfully kept the bride away from her husband who mockingly glared at the trio.

"What's this? Can't get around some women, Naruto?"

The Kazekage's sister stood before them with an amused gleam in her green eyes.

Naruto grinned. "Hey, Temari! Enjoying yourself?"

The woman nodded. "It's a nice wedding, although my date's been less than pleasant."

The women cocked their eyebrows. "Your date?"

Temari huffed in both exasperation and affection. "Shikamaru's a lazy ass and hates being dragged to events, even if it's the wedding of the Hokage's son and the Hyuga clan leader's daughter."

"Oh, I hear you. "Ino replied. "Our fathers decided to have us train together in the Ino-Shika-Cho combination and he complained the entire time." Remorse passed through her face. "Well, the Ino-Shika combination anyways."

Tenten coughed to dismiss the awkward silence. "Is there anything that Shikamaru's not lazy at?"

Temari's eyes darkened. "He's amazing in bed."

The women chuckled between themselves, and Naruto took advantage of their distraction to grab Hinata.

The women pretended to not notice and engaged in conversation.

"So, are you three accounted for?" Temari asked.

Tenten answered for them. "I'm currently pregnant with mine and Lee's second child. Ino's in a steady relationship, and Sakura's engaged to Sasuke Uchiha."

Temari cocked an eyebrow in interest. "An Uchiha, huh? You've certainly hit the jackpot."

Sakura smiled. "Yes, I have. In more ways than one."

Temari grinned and barked at Shikamaru to come to her.

The Nara man grumbled in his breath. "I'm not a damn dog."

Temari ignored his complaint and formally introduced him to the women.

Shikaramaru nodded at Ino and Sakura in recognition. "I already know these two. Troublesome."

Ino glared at him, whereas Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You haven't changed a bit." The rosette commented.

The man shrugged. "Better to stay the same than worsen." His sharp eyes studied Sakura more intensely. "You've changed, Sakura."

Said woman cocked an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

Temari sighed. "You'll get used to it. Shikamaru has absolutely no sense of romance, yet he makes up for it with his intellect." She pecked his cheek.

The man grumbled, yet a small blush colored his cheeks.

The women chuckled at his expense.

"By the way, Sakura, there's something I want you to check out whenever you have time." Shikamaru commented.

The rosette blinked, and curiosity bloomed within her. "What is it?"

The man grinned. "Sorry, I can't tell you here. You'll just have to wait to find out."

Ino and Temari rolled their eyes, Tenten was focused on her pregnant belly, and Sakura looked pensive.

She nodded. "Alright. How about next week? This weekend is Kakashi-san's birthday, and the Uchiha clan are planning a surprise party."

Shikamaru nodded. "Meet me at the public library on Monday."

Another lively song started, and Temari grabbed hold of her boyfriend's hands. "You're so dancing with me this time."

Shikamaru grumbled as he was dragged to the dance floor.

The women were lead to the dancefloor by their partners, and Sakura focused on enjoying the rest of the evening.

Whatever Shikamaru wanted to show her could wait until Monday.

* * *

[1] Japanese for "pure white dress"


	3. Chapter 3: Hide and Seek

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but I've been extremely busy with this past semester, and whenever I did have time, the words didn't want to come out. I'm on Christmas break, so hopefully I'll have the inspiration to update this sequel more often.**

 **Enjoy the chapter, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas!**

* * *

The Uchiha compound was bristling with abundant activity as the clan prepared for Kakashi's birthday party.

To the disappointment of the younger clan members, Katsumi declared that the party couldn't be kept secret since her paranoid husband hated surprises of any sort. That didn't deter the children from wanting to shout "surprise" once the copy-cat ninja would arrive.

Sakura was currently in the main house's large kitchen as she helped the other women finish off the last of the pastries. Apparently Kakashi had a big sweet tooth.

His wife refused any help while she baked the cake for her darling husband.

"Kakashi absolutely adores white chocolate," she stated. "Especially when combined with raspberries, but he's rather picky with how it's made. He says that only I make it exactly the way he likes it."

Her son made a disgusted expression. "Eww. Normal chocolate is the best! Right, Sakura-nee-chan?"

The rosette smiled at the boy affectionately. "Any chocolate is delicious. My personal favorite is dark chocolate."

Kai's expression turned scandalous. "Eww! I rather have white chocolate than the disgusting black one!"

Katsumi gently flicked her son's head. "Don't be rude, Kai-kun. Everyone has their preferences, and you must respect that."

The boy flushed in shame. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.

Sakura's heart melted at his cuteness, and she ruffled his hair affectionately. "It's alright, Kai. If it makes you feel better, most of the Uchiha clan don't like sweets, so you'll have most, if not all of the chocolate to yourself."

Kai's eyes widened in glee, and he cupped his cheeks. "It's okay that you don't like normal chocolate."

Sakura and Katsumi laughed at his antics and resumed their work.

Around them, the other Uchiha women laughed and chatted amongst themselves as they've prepared the grand feast for that evening.

The men busied themselves by putting up colorful lights and setting up various entertainment stalls for the children.

By mid-afternoon, the entire compound was ready. Only one important detail was missing.

Katsumi let out an exasperated sigh as two hours went by without any sign of her elusive husband.

Minato stifled an amused snort. "Kakashi hasn't changed from his childhood. I shouldn't be surprised that he'd be late even to his own party."

Beside him, his wife huffed in annoyance. "It's your fault for not discipling that boy and beating out of him that bad habit."

The blond man chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

"As much as I love him, I refuse to allow our son to pick up his bad habit." Katsumi declared. She emphasized her point by squeezing her son's hand and ignored his struggles.

Naruto grumbled to himself in annoyance, though he kept his temper in check as his new wife rubbed his arm.

After another twenty minutes, Sasuke broke the silence. "We'll have to find him."

Naruto puffed up at the suggestion. "Finally! I'd rather be out looking for Kakashi, than standing here like an idiot waiting for him."

Itachi nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea, however, you'll need to narrow down possible hiding spots. The village is quite large, and Kakashi-san could be hiding anywhere."

Sakura added in her two cents. "Minato-sama, do you know where Kakashi-san could be hiding?"

A pensive expression plastered itself on the Hokage's face. "There are a few places where he used to hide, although I can't guarantee he'll be at any of them. He used to enjoy staying at the dango shop, the adult section of the library, casually walking through dark alleys, or…" His expression saddened. "He also used to spend hours at the memorial stone."

Naruto blinked in confusion. "Why did he go there? Who died?"

Kushina gave his head a hard slap, which caused him to let out a yelp.

"Have some tact." She whispered harshly in his ear.

Katsumi closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "When he's ready, Kakashi will tell you."

Regret filled Naruto at the suddenly solemn mood he unintentionally created.

Sakura decided to intervene. "The only way we'll know is if we go out to look for him." She stared at the two men she regarded as friends, and more. "Naruto, Sasuke-kun, will you come with me?"

"Absolutely, Sakura-chan!"

The rosette's fiancé nodded mutely.

She smiled at the two men and addressed the rest of the group. "We'll find, Kakashi-san. In the meantime, enjoy yourselves. We might be a while."

The large crowd murmured in agreement, and the trio made their way to the Uchiha compound's entrance.

Sakura turned around to face the men. "We should split up. I'll search the memorial grounds. Naruto, you'll take the library. Sasuke-kun, you'll take the dango shop."

Naruto grumbled. "Why do I have to go to the porn section? People are going to think that I'm a pervert."

The Uchiha snorted. "As if you aren't. The toad sannin was your master, after all."

Naruto glared at him. "Bite me, teme!"

Sasuke shook his head. "No thanks. I'll leave that to your wife."

Sakura pinched her nose in annoyance. "Are you two machos done? We still have to decide who will check out the dark alleys."

The blond ninja gestured to Sasuke. "Let the teme do it. Only Kami-sama knows how much the sun bothers him. He might actually enjoy it."

It was Sasuke's turn to glare at the other man, but a hard look from his fiancée stopped either men from bickering again.

Sakura refrained from sighing. "Now that's settled; whomever finds Kakashi-san first should flare their chakra to let the others know."

"Sure thing, Sakura-chan."

Sasuke nodded in agreement.

The rosette smiled at them. "Let's get going. Hopefully, the search won't take too long."

After the trio stepped out of the compound, they went off on their separate ways.

The rosette immediately set off towards the training grounds. She silently praised herself for choosing to wear dress pants rather than a dress or skirt, since the wind swirled her clothes and hair all around.

Shortly afterwards, she arrived at the outskirts of Training Ground Three, yet she was puzzled to find it empty.

The rosette walked around a bit, and when she found nothing, decided to explore the entirety of Training Ground Three.

It took over half an hour to explore the entire grounds, yet Sakura was frustrated at the lack of results.

As she paced back and forth, and epiphany sparked through her mind, and the rosette had to refrain from slapping herself.

 _I can't believe that I forget. Shortly before I left, Tsunade-sama had the memorial stone relocated to the palace_.

Sakura squished down any discomfort she felt by the mere memory of her former master and headed towards the palace.

In no time, she arrived at the palace, and made her way inside.

She crossed the large hall and entered the courtyard where the beautiful gardens awaited.

The leaves were a gorgeous blend of red, orange and yellow, and they shimmered under the sunlight.

Sakura took a brief moment to admire them, before she focused once more on her task.

She moved deeper into the gardens, until her destination and man-in-question appeared in view.

The copy-cat ninja had his back to her. He wore black dress pants and a simple grey shirt that complimented his figure rather nicely.

Sakura approached him and stood beside him.

As she glanced up at him, she noticed the solemn look plastered on his face.

Kakashi's lone visible eye were rooted onto one spot.

Out of curiosity, Sakura looked at the name. _Uchiha Obito_.

The rosette looked back up at the man.

Kakashi's gaze never left the memorial stone as he spoke. "I take it that the party's ready."

The rosette ready. "All that's missing is the guest of honor." She said, somewhat sarcastically.

The man snorted quietly, yet his expression eased up slightly. "I do have the tendency of being late."

Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "That's an understatement. We were ready three hours ago."

Kakashi finally looked down at the woman. "You guys could have started without me."

Sakura shook her head. "It wouldn't have been the same without you there. Besides, your wife insisted that we wait until you arrive."

At the mention of his wife, Kakashi's expression turned sheepish and he and rubbed his head. "Ma, that woman really wants me there, huh."

Sakura nodded. "I wouldn't keep her waiting more than you already have, if I were you."

The man nodded slowly and glanced back at the memorial stone. He gently traced a finger over the name, before he dropped his hand.

Kakashi looked at Sakura. "After you," he said more cheerfully.

Remembering Katsumi's words, Sakura shoved away her curiosity about the name, and instead nodded at the man.

They made their way back to the Uchiha compound, and Sakura flared her chakra twice.

Soon enough, the pair were joined by Sasuke and Naruto.

Upon seeing them, the blond ninja pointed a finger at Kakashi. "Oy, you made us wait for so long and then we had to walk all over Konoha just to find you!"

Kakashi swatted his finger away. "Ma, I would have come eventually."

Sasuke snorted in disbelief. "Even your wife acknowledges your bad habit. No need to bullshit us."

Sakura rolled her eyes at the men's unusual dramatism. "Well, he's been found. Let's go back and enjoy the party."

The two younger men quieted down, and the group of four arrived at the compound.

The stepped inside and made their way to the main house.

The trio insisted that Kakashi open the door first. He sighed but did so without argument.

As soon as the screen door slid open, an unsynchronized chorus of "surprise" rattled the shinobi's sensitive eye drums.

Kai ran up to his father. "Happy Birthday, Tou-chan!" He shouted and leaped into his father's arms.

Kakashi's disgruntled look was replaced with fondness as he held his son close. "Thank you, my boy."

Hatake Katsumi made her way to her small family, and leveled Kakashi with an exasperated, yet loving look. "I honestly have no idea what to do with you, Hatake Kakashi."

Her husband gave her a sheepish look as he let their son down. "I would have come eventually." He repeated.

Katsumi rolled her eyes. "You'll have to make up for making me wait for you."

Kakashi's eye darkened, and he pulled his wife by the waist to him. "How about I give you my undivided attention tonight. We can sneak away."

His wife blushed but giggled as she hugged her husband. "It's a promise."

Naruto faked a gag as he overheard them, and quickly made his way to his wife.

Sakura caught Sasuke's eyes. Her fiancé leveled her with a smothering stare and a slight smirk on the corner of his lips. His entire expression promised her that they'd have their own fun later on.

The rosette smiled shyly at him, before the couple mingled in with the rest of the guests.

The party was a blast, with Naruto failing to remove Kakashi's mask.

As predicted, sometime during the evening, the guest of honor and his wife were conspicuously missing.

Their son was too busy playing to notice, and even if he had, probably didn't care.

Around midnight, the party ended, and the men began to take down the stalls while the women put their children to sleep.

Mikoto carried a sleepy Kai in her arms and made her way to a guest room in the main house.

Sakura noticed Itachi quietly talking to a beautiful brunette. They were sitting on a porch and were sharing dango.

A wide smile blessed the rosette's face when she saw Itachi cup the woman's face and kiss her.

Sakura quickly went around the corner to give them privacy.

She gasped when a hand snatched her wrist, and pulled her in.

Onyx eyes met eyes, before warm lips pressed against hers.

Sakura wrapped her arms around her fiancé's broad shoulders.

The Uchiha's lips left a trail of fiery kisses on her bare skin, earning a moan from the woman.

Her fiancé led them into his bedroom, where the rosette surrendered to the blissful sensations for the rest of the night.

* * *

Once Monday morning came around, Sakura woke up bright and early to prepare for her meeting Shikamaru. She hadn't forgotten their conversation from the wedding, and to say that she was curious as to what he wanted to show her was an understatement.

She didn't get why the Nara wanted to meet at the library but shrugged it off as unimportant.

Sakura arrived at the library shortly after it opened and entered the building.

She saw Shikamaru standing near a bookshelf and walked over towards him.

The man noticed her and nodded his head in greeting. "Sakura."

"Shikamaru." The rosette replied. "I do hope that you've got something interesting to show me."

Uncharacteristically, the man's eyes lit up and he grinned. "I believe you won't be able to focus on much else."

Sakura raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "I admit that I'm wondering why you asked me to meet you here instead of your clan compound."

"My parents have been busy rebuilding homes for the sudden influx of clan members. Ever since we've arrived in Konoha, we've either had to camp out in the Nara forest or rent rooms elsewhere. This week, the final touches are being done."

The Nara turned around and led them to a private room where the forbidden texts were held.

They sat down at the wooden table, and Shikamaru go straight to the point.

"Remember that temple we've investigated while searching for the Akuma nest?"

Sakura nodded.

"Inside were paintings that depicted extraterrestrial beings that visited our world and interacted with our ancestors. The interesting part is what Shizune has only recently divulged to my clan, and with her permission, I'm divulging to you."

Sakura didn't realize that she leaned forward in her seat.

"Have you ever wondered how the Phoenix Army's armor was resistant to the Akuma's acidic blood? Danzo's Root discovered a crash site with Akuma eggs. The council ordered them to be brought back for experimentation."

Sakura nodded again. "Shizune-san told me this as well."

A wry grin formed on the Nara's face. "Yes, but did she tell you that it's still operational. Did she give you the location?"

The rosette blankly stared at him, yet interest blossomed within her.

Her silence seemed to satisfy Shikamaru, and he leaned forward. "In that crash site, Tsunade recovered extraterrestrial metals and formed them into armor that the Phoenix kunoichi use. Sakura, you've been wearing and benefitting from alien technology and you didn't even know it."

The rosette's mouth opened, yet no words came out, and she quickly closed it.

How could she reply to such a statement?

Shikamaru continued. "Shizune-san has grown tired of keeping secrets. She's only told my clan since we're the ones with the most interest in this topic. She also wanted you to know because of your history with the Akuma. From my observations of you in the temple, I take it that the Akuma somehow exchanged their knowledge with you. Did they show you anything of their past?"

Sakura snapped to attention. "The memories didn't come because I willed them to. My guess was that they were provoked by pheromones that lingered in the air. I only saw the crash and the attack that wiped out Uzushiogakure."

The Nara cocked an eyebrow. "You didn't see anything else?"

Sakura shuffled in her seat. "Without a Queen Mother, the Akuma's consciousness are blocked off from members of other hives. Since my embryo didn't have her own Queen, the memories that she was able to share with me were limited."

"So you wouldn't know if there are more Akuma out there, hiding and waiting for their chance to retaliate?"

The blood in her veins went ice-cold at the thought, especially of the mystery behind Kirigakure's silence.

"My embryo's dead. I no longer receive memories, so I wouldn't be able to tell."

The Nara stared hard at her, yet Sakura kept her expression cool.

Finally, the man spoke. "Would you be interested in visiting the crash site? Perhaps by being there, you'll unlock more memories."

Without hesitation, Sakura replied. "Yes."


	4. Chapter 4: Under Pressure

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. The progress is going slow, especially since I'm doing my medical internship. Rest assured, this story isn't dead. I humbly ask for your patience.**

 **Thank you, and enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Sakura stood as still as a statue. Her dumbfounded expression would have made her companion laugh if he weren't distracted by the sight before them.

Hidden by an extremely powerful genjutsu that even Sakura had a hard time dispelling, the vast crash site was occupied by a few deer grazing on the grass and expanded across eight kilometers. The forestry that once covered the land never grew back.

In the background, the ocean waves could be heard crashing against the ebony rocks, yet Sakura's attention was solely on the sight before her.

The remains of what once must have been a massive ship looked eerily out of place in the otherwise typical landscape of the Land of Whirlpools.

The rosette's mind worked in over-drive as she struggled to accept the sight before her. Seeing the ship in the vision was one thing, but actually seeing it personally was an unbelievable experience.

Sakura took one step forward and glanced back at her companion. "Is this really the same ship?"

Shikamaru nodded. "As far as we know, no other crash site exists on the main continent."

"Yet you believe that there could be more?"

The man gave her a questioning look. "Don't you? I was under the impression that you believed more Akuma existed elsewhere."

Sakura glanced away from him. "I have my suspicions, but I've never made contact with another hive after the battle."

Shikamaru stepped beside her. "I'd like to believe that the Akuma threat is gone, but those creatures are too cunning to allow themselves to be wiped out in one go."

The rosette's heart rate began to quicken. "What are you saying?"

The man beside her sighed. "Cut the bullshit, Sakura. You know that there's another hive out there. In the Land of Water, was it?"

The rosette wiped her face at him. "How did you know?" She asked, alarmed.

Shikamaru cocked his eyebrow. "Shizune told me about your hunch. Given the hell we've suffered through here, I wouldn't be surprised if an Akuma hive was responsible for Kirigakure's 20-plus-year blackout from the rest of the shinobi world."

Sakura held his sharp eyes for a moment, before she looked away. "I… in the vision I saw, it was implied that the Akuma infested more than one ship. I believe another ship crash landed somewhere in Water Country."

The Nara man hummed in thoughtfulness. "It could explain why Orochimaru spent an unknown amount of time there."

The rosette scanned the crash site once more. "It looks rather barren."

Shikamaru nodded. "We found it like this. We believe Orochimaru and Danzo's Root ANBU transported most of the structure to another location."

"Water Country."

"Water Country." Shikamaru repeated. "And some of the metal was used by the late Tsunade."

Sakura covered her face with a gloved hand. "When will this nightmare end?"

"It'll end the moment we kill the last of these creatures. The question is, are you prepared to travel to foreign territory to save a people you're not even sure is still alive?"

The rosette glanced back at him in confusion. She opened her mouth, yet no words came out.

She glanced back at the crash site, and the pair stood in silence for a moment.

"I don't know," she finally confessed. "I still can't get over what Tsunade knowingly did to me, how she sought to kill me and nearly succeeded, because of her embryo's corruption. I just started my life with Sasuke, and I've finally learned to call Konoha home again. I can't just leave."

A slightly amused expression plastered itself on Shikamaru's face. "Indeed. The Uchiha is quite possessive of you. It took much convincing to allow you to travel with me here without him accompanying you."

Sakura scowled at him. "He's protective of me, not possessive. I was practically dead, Shikamaru, until my Byakugō no In kicked in and healed the damage." She closed her eyes at the thought of the painful memory and looked away. "I can't leave him. Not again."

Shikamaru hummed in thought. "Love dictates our life; it can either make us accomplish the impossible or take foolish decisions."

The rosette rubbed her engagement ring through the glove. "My love for him commands me to stay with him. I won't put him through that pain again."

"The day will come where you'll have to make a choice. What remains to be seen is if you'll be able to live with your decision."

Sakura's mood darkened at his ominous words. "Did you bring me out here just to tell me that, or were you actually going to show me something?"

The man gave her a wry look. "You mean this wasn't impressive enough already? Actually, I had hoped that coming here would trigger more visions from you."

Sakura started to walk towards the crash site. "Only one way to find out."

The pair walked in silence, and if it weren't for the dead ship that was glaringly out of place, it would have been peaceful.

Sakura's scientific mind soaked up the scene in front of her with eagerness. Never before had she the opportunity to uncover something so alien, and she was excited.

She greedily took in the sights of exotic metal and strange pieces that littered the dirt ground.

She continued to walk, and nearly stumbled as a vision assaulted her mind.

* * *

 _Dozens of unblooded younglings were training in hand-to-hand combats. Five blooded adults supervised them in case they needed to break off any out-of-hand fights, yet the trainees were all in a good mood. Tomorrow, they'd attack the home world of the hard-meats._

 _They were all eager to prove themselves to their elders; to prove that they too were worthy of carrying the mark. The attack on the hard-meat home world would be their best chance to show their honor._

 _Far below them, the clan's captive Akuma Queen whined in fear. Her home was in danger._

 _She warned the Queen Mother of the impending attack, yet the answer worried her even more. The Akuma would not retreat. It wasn't in their nature, yet the Hunters wouldn't leave a single Akuma alive._

 _The Queen shrieked in anger and mourning for the upcoming extermination of her kind._

 _-X-_

 _The same Queens shrieks turned to yowls and increased in volume. Her home was burning, and the screams of her dying brothers and sisters echoed maddingly in her mind._

 _She shook violently in an effort to break free from the chains._

 _The damned hunters who captured her were growling in alarm at her increased aggression._

 _She snapped her jaws at them in open defiance._

 _No longer would she be their prisoner. If she were to die, she'd rather take as many of her captors with her as possible._

 _Her growls quickly turned to a pained shrieking as she felt and heard the Queen Mother's agonized scream as she was ruthlessly murdered. Surprisingly, it wasn't the Hunters who killed her. It was the soft-meats, the Akuma's preferred hosts._

 _Suddenly, the Queen slumped into her chains as the energy and fight left her. Her world was burning, her kind were being exterminated, the Queen Mother was dead._

 _The Hunters were confused at her abrupt change in attitude, yet the Queen paid them no attention._

 _She retracted her face into her head crest and shut herself off from the chaotic hive mind. The grief was too much to bear._

* * *

Sakura was snapped from her thoughts by the feeling of Shikamaru's hand waving in front of her.

"Sakura, are you okay?" He asked, slightly alarmed.

The rosette stared at him in confusion for a moment, before she felt the dampness on both of her cheeks. Startled, she quickly rubbed away the tears.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied. "I didn't expect to react that way."

"What did you see?" The Nara asked.

The rosette released a shaky exhale. "Too much death," she said quietly. "I saw the destruction of the Akuma home world."

Understanding dawned on Shikamaru's face. "And you're crying because…?" He trailed off.

"The Akuma's grief was very intense. It almost felt like it was my own."

 _It technically is_ , a familiar voice whispered. _They are your people too ever since we've merged._

Sakura nearly grimaced, but she withheld it since Shikamaru's sharp eyes were on her.

She calmed herself by taking deep breaths.

"Anything else?" Her companion asked.

Sakura nodded. "I caught a glimpse of the lifestyle of the Hunters; the humanoid figure we saw on the Temple wall we investigated." She specified. "They're not too dissimilar from us. They regularly train and are always looking for ways to climb the social hierarchy. I'm also under the impression that each of their ship carried an Akuma Queen that they'd use to breed more Akuma for them to hunt."

Shikamaru snorted. "We herd cattle; they herded demons."

The rosette turned her gaze to the wreckage around them. "This was one of the ships that attacked their home world. It… it was a massacre."

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed at her statement. "No more so than the Black Death. Or all of the Akuma attacks in the years afterwards."

Sakura bit her lips at her internal struggle.

 _We all suffered at each other's hands. It wasn't your people who directly killed our Queen Mother, yet you're still of the same species. Does that make our grief less than yours?_

Sakura carefully masked her face before meeting the man's suspicious gaze. "I'm not sympathizing with them, if that's what you're thinking. I just don't like violence of any kind, never mind a genocide."

Shikamaru's gaze didn't soften. "These monsters don't deserve mercy. They were incapable of giving it to helpless children."

Sakura bowed her head. "I know." She said quietly.

A tense silence passed through them. The only sound was of the birds chirping, completely ignorant of the two shinobi.

Shikamaru mumbled in his breath, something sounding like "troublesome", before he stepped away to pick up a piece of damaged metal to examine it.

"I've never seen this type of metal before. I imagine it's the same that was used for your peoples' armor. It has the ability to resist the Akuma's acidic blood."

"An ability that saved many of our lives," Sakura stated.

"Indeed," Shikamaru agreed. "It's a shame that we don't more material to work with."

Annoyed, Sakura snapped. "If you're feeling so damn heroic, why don't you go to Water Country yourself and investigate?

Shikamaru lifted an eyebrow at her reaction. "I'm not stupid to think that I'd survive another Akuma encounter, worse by myself. Second, you understand them better than anyone else."

"Itachi-san was also a host, yet I don't hear you suggesting he go investigate."

Shikamaru's eyes darkened in intrigue. "Out of all the hosts who survived, you're the one with the deeper connection. Not even Itachi was able to tap into the Akumas' memories like you have."

"Stop talking to me as if I'm just a pawn! The price I've paid for peace was high, Shikamaru." The rosette's eyes narrowed. "Do you even think of me as a human?"

The Nara man was startled by her question. "What kind of question is that? Of course, I do."

Sakura stepped right up to him until their noses were almost touching. "Look me in the eye and tell me to go to Water Country. Tell Sasuke why I should go risk my life to face the unknown in a foreign land. We're getting married, Shikamaru. We plan on starting a family soon afterwards." Her voice turned soft, yet her stare remained intense. "Would you deny me the chance of motherhood? Would you deny me my one chance of happiness after I've spent my entire life living in an imposed hell? Your clan is renowned for their great intelligence, yet I never imagined that your cruelty would be just as profound."

Her companion's eyes narrowed at the accusation, but she wasn't finished.

"Don't you dare think that I'm turning a blind eye to the possibility of another Akuma threat. I ponder about it every single day, but I'm just one woman. My experience with the Akuma doesn't make me an expert on them anymore than you are." She lowered her head and closed her eyes. "It got to the point where I had panic attacks almost every day. I… I was pregnant at one point." She whispered.

Shikamaru stared at her in shock and lowered his gaze to the woman's flat abdomen.

Sakura pressed her hands to her abdomen. "It was too soon for me to develop the typical pregnancy symptoms. I didn't even know I was pregnant until I lost the baby." She chocked out, tears formed in her eyes.

The young man stepped away from her to give her space. With her head down, Sakura didn't see the guilty expression beginning to form on his face.

"It was so tiny: it barely fit in the palm of my hand. It was still alive and squirming around, but its movements were quickly weakening. My joy died when my baby's heart stopped beating."

Tears flowed freely down her grief-stricken face, yet she made no additional noise.

"I never told Sasuke, nor anyone else. He would have been devastated, and I didn't want him to suffer more than he already has. I will give him children, and I won't let anyone stop me. Not the Akuma. Not **you**." She hissed at the shocked man.

He struggled for words. "Sakura, I…"

Sakura gritted her teeth. "Save it. My decision is final: I'm not going."

Without waiting to see the man's reaction, Sakura turned around and walked away. Her destination: Konoha.

* * *

On the trip home, an uncomfortable silence stretched between the two shinobi.

Sakura was furious with Shikamaru for his demands. The man kept quiet in order to not piss off the rosette any more than he already did.

Sakura felt relief once the two-day journey came to an end, and the familiar sight of her beloved home came into view.

She all but rushed past the village gates and sped towards the Uchiha compound.

She only stopped once she saw Sasuke training a group of children.

Her eyes softened at the sight of Sasuke patiently teaching the children the Uchiha clan's signature fire style techniques.

Sakura nearly stepped in when a girl accidently blasted fire at herself and started to cry.

The Uchiha man knelt in front of the girl, and gently cleaned her face with a damp cloth. He spoke quietly to her, and the girl's tears eventually stopped, and she sniffled occasionally as she listened.

Sakura's nearly melted at the tenderness on her fiancé's face and gesture as he tended to the girl.

Once the girl calmed, Sasuke patted her back, and the girl jumped up to rejoin the other children in their training.

The Uchiha man noticed Sakura staring at him and smiled at her softly.

Heat pooled in Sakura's belly, and before she knew it, the rosette was in front of the man and dragged him away from the children.

"Sakura!" He was startled. "What are you doing?"

"The kids won't be mastering your clan's technique any time soon. Right now, I want you."

Sakura continued to drag her fiancé along until they reached their private rooms.

Unceremoniously, the rosette yanked the bamboo door out of the way and dragged Sasuke inside with her.

Once the door closed, she jumped into her fiancé's waiting arms and kissed him hard. The man returned the favor and squeezed her gluteal muscles.

As he led them to the bedroom, Sakura's agile fingers made quick work of her fiancé's buttons, and shortly afterwards, his shirt was discarded on the wooden floor.

Sakura straddled him as he laid on the futon.

For a moment, her lust-dominated haze lifted as she tenderly admired her husband-to-be. "You're so beautiful," she said softly as she traced the faded scars on his chest.

Sasuke hummed in contentment at her attention and leaned up to kiss her neck.

Sakura moaned, and quickly removed her shirt and bra.

The Uchiha flipped them over, and swiftly removed their bottom wear.

He stared at his future bride and reveled at the sight of the irresistible flush that spread over her aroused body. He ran his gaze from top to bottom.

Her emerald shone with several emotions as they stared back at him. Her plump lips were slightly opened as she breathed heavily in anticipation of what was to come. Her full breasts rose and fell with each breath she took. Her toned abdominal muscles twitched and relaxed with her movements.

As he laid eyes on her most sacred part, he felt more blood rush to his already hardened erection. Her second pair of lips glistened with the beginning of secretions that hinted at the prize that awaited him, in between two long and slender legs.

He looked back into his fiancée's eyes. "You're so beautiful."

Sakura shyly smiled at his earnest compliment.

The Uchiha cupped her right cheek and leaned down to kiss her.

She responded eagerly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

They broke the kiss, and the air was heavy with anticipation.

Sasuke aligned his member to her entrance. He stared into her eyes as he slowly pushed inwards.

Both of them groaned at the sensation, and Sakura threw her head back at the indescribable feeling of being full. For them, every joining was like coming home.

Her lover set a pleasant pace, and a fuchsia color painted her lips and cheeks. Her mouth hung open in silent breathes of ecstasy.

The Uchiha pressed his head to the side of hers and listened to her jagged breathing and soft meows.

As the minutes went by, the intensity of the joining increased, and their noises became louder.

As she reached her climax, Sakura screamed, not at all caring if someone else heard her.

Her lover wasn't far behind, and he groaned as he released himself inside of her.

He collapsed on top of her but was careful not to crush her with his weight.

The couple exchanged passionate kisses, before the Uchiha pulled out. He wrapped his arms around Sakura and pulled her to him. The woman happily obliged and curled around his side.

She hummed in contentment as Sasuke gently ran his fingers over her sensitive skin.

A moment went by in silence, until Sasuke spoke. "Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?"

Sakura looked up at him. "What makes you think something's bothering me?"

"While I have nothing against your passionate side, you normally do so when you're upset."

Sakura frowned. "You make it seem like I use sex to manipulate you."

Sasuke's eyes softened. "You know I don't think that," he replied gently. "Are you going to tell me that I'm wrong?"

Sakura couldn't hold his gaze for long and rested her head under his chin. His heartbeat was a comforting sound to her inner turmoil.

"You're right," she admitted. "I'll tell you, but not right now. Please, let's just enjoy this moment of bliss."

Her fiancé's grip on her tightened, and he pressed a kiss to her scalp. "I won't let anything hurt you." He said softly.

A burden was lifted from Sakura's shoulders. She thank the forces above for giving her a man such as Sasuke, and she snuggled closer into his warm embrace.


End file.
